HOUSTON – The Houston Texans have restructured the contract of veteran offensive guard Shaq Mason, according to a league source.
The simple conversion of his salary created $6.4 million in salary cap space.
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The Texans converted $8.04 million of Mason’s original $9.25 million base salary into a signing bonus, lowering his new base salary to the minimum $1.125 million, which is fully guaranteed for skill, injury and salary cap.
The deal still has $22 million in total guarantees and Mason is one of the highest paid guards in the NFL.
His new salary cap figure for 2024 is $5.68 million, down from an original $12.3 million.
The Texans added voidable years of $25 million each in 2027 and 2028 for accounting purposes.
In 2025 and 2026, Mason has salaries of $10 million ($1.025 million fully guaranteed) and $10.4 million with salary cap figures of $14.658 million and $15.058 million. He still has annual up to $500,000 in per game active roster bonuses at a $29,411 per game rate, a $250,000 Pro Bowl incentive and a $50,000 workout bonus.
Mason joined the Texans last season via a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, gaining his services and a seventh-round draft pick in exchange for a sixth-round selection.
The Texans signed Mason last year to a three-year, $36 million contract extension in new money, with an average of $12 million annually, a $10 million signing bonus, $22 million guaranteed of that with 61% of the total guaranteed.
Mason, a 6-foot-1, 310-pound Tennessee native, provides leadership in the locker room and is extremely active in the community.
He was a big part of an AFC South championship team last season under head coach DeMeco Ryans.
“When I got traded here and met ‘Meco and talked to everyone, I said this is a place I could see myself being long-term,” Mason told KPRC 2 during the playoffs. “Just to know what the mentality is that ‘Meco brings to football, his approach every day, he’s a great guy to play for. It’s hard to put it into words. To play for a guy who’s been in our position and done the things he has, he brings a different kind of fire.”
Mason, 30, was with the New England Patriots and drafted in the fourth round from Georgia Tech when Texans general manager Nick Caserio was an executive in their personnel department.
Mason has been a good fit for the Kyle Shanahan West Coast offense the Texans installed with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. They finished fifth in passing offense and quarterback C.J. Stroud was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Mason signed a five-year, $50 million extension with the Patriots then was traded to the Buccaneers two years ago for a fifth-round draft pick.
His deal was restructured two years ago. He started every game for the Buccaneers at right guard and was ranked 20th overall at his position by Pro Football Focus.
Mason was due a $7.5 million base salary in the final year of his Tampa Bay contract. He started every game last season and played every offensive snap. He was ranked 20th among all offensive guards by the analytics site, Pro Football Focus.
“I was happy when I found out it was here,” Mason said. “It was a happy feeling knowing that I would be here. I knew the system they were going to be running. New coach with a lot of energy. I think it was a perfect fit for me.”
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Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
